Rwanda & DR Congo Draft Peace Deal Reached – Signing Next Week

Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have reached a draft peace agreement. The deal comes after a few days of talks in Washington, led by the United States and Qatar. Both countries are expected to sign the final agreement next week on June 27, 2025. This plan aims to stop fighting, pull back troops, and help people start living safely again.

Why Is This Peace Deal Important?

1. Stops endless fighting in eastern Congo, where fighting has gone on for 30 years timeslive.co.za+13ft.com+13dagens.com+13.
2. Brings hope to people who fled from violence and now want to return home.
3. Opens the door to new jobs and trade, especially in important minerals like gold, cobalt, and copper reuters.com+1africainsider.org+1.

What Does the Draft Agreement Say?

The draft agreement includes:

• No more support for rebel armies (like M23) criticalthreats.org+15reuters.com+15reddit.com+15.
• Troops will leave eastern Congo to make things peaceful again economist.com+15ft.com+15globalpost.com+15.
• Rebels will hand in their weapons and possibly join official forces .
• They will protect the borders of both countries .
• A joint security team will work to keep peace along the border en.wikipedia.org

 

On June 18, 2025, technical teams from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo initialed a draft peace agreement in Washington, marking a potential breakthrough in efforts to end the long-standing conflict in eastern Congo. The provisional accord, brokered with support from the U.S. government, outlines commitments to cease hostilities, uphold territorial integrity, and disarm non-state armed groups. It also includes the creation of a joint security mechanism, reviving proposals previously discussed under Angolan mediation. A formal ministerial signing is scheduled for June 27. 

This agreement follows previous failed attempts to secure peace, as violence surged in recent months with M23 rebels—allegedly backed by Rwanda—seizing key cities. While Rwanda denies these allegations, citing self-defense against Hutu militias tied to the 1994 genocide, the new deal signals hope for regional stability and opens the door for substantial international investment in the resource-rich Great Lakes region.

Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have initialed a draft peace agreement following U.S.-mediated negotiations. The deal, expected to be officially signed on June 27, 2025, could mark a turning point in resolving the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. It includes terms on ceasing hostilities, disarming rebel groups, and establishing joint security operations. The breakthrough follows previous failed efforts mediated by Angola, and comes amid renewed violence involving the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The agreement could unlock billions in Western investment for the mineral-rich region.

Who Helped Plan Peace?

• Talks were held in Washington, D.C., with help from the U.S., Qatar, and Angola dagens.com+2ft.com+2reddit.com+2.
• Foreign ministers from both countries signed an earlier Declaration of Principles on April 25, 2025 africainsider.org+10aljazeera.com+10upi.com+10.
• Peace will be officially signed on June 27, 2025, in Washington apnews.com.

What Happens Next?

• Rebels like M23 must disarm and stop fighting theeastafrican.co.ke+13apnews.com+13dragonflyintelligence.com+13.
• Troops from both countries must leave eastern Congo nypost.com+15ft.com+15bignewsnetwork.com+15.
• A joint team will watch the border to make sure peace holds.
• Plans include bringing back displaced families and refugees safely to their homes upi.com.

Why This Peace Deal Matters for the People

Families Can Come Home

Many families fled from houses after fighting broke out. With peace, they can return home and rebuild their lives.

More Jobs & Trade

Eastern Congo is rich in minerals. If there is peace, people can mine safely and sell goods. The United States and others want to invest in Congo’s mines timeslive.co.za+5reuters.com+5ft.com+5.

Better Security

Stopping the fighting means schools and markets can open again. Police and local services can help more easily.

What Are Experts Saying?

Some leaders feel hopeful:

• Christian Moleka, a political analyst, believes peace will last only if Congo improves its security systems apnews.com.
• Still, a peace agreement has fallen apart in the past because arms and trust issues were not fully handled .

• What Could Go Wrong?

• If countries don’t follow the rules, fights may start again.
• Militias like M23 could keep fighting despite the agreement reuters.com+3alleastafrica.com+3aljazeera.com+3.

Without international support, the agreement may not last.

Under the terms of the draft accord, both parties have committed to an immediate cessation of hostilities, mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity, and the disarmament and demobilization of non-state armed groups operating within the conflict zone. A significant component of the deal is the establishment of a joint security mechanism, which would allow both countries to coordinate on issues of border security, intelligence sharing, and humanitarian access.